Automatic electric coupler



H. F. WOERNLEY AuToMATIc- ELECTRIG comme: R

` Filed-Nov. 1;, 1920 3 sheep-sheet 1 37 a INVENTOR HARRY F. woERNlrx-:w

BY M

ATTORNEY H. F. WOERNLEY AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC coUPLER 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 13,

INVENTOR HARRY RWOERNLEY BY Q/f. 0%

ATTORNEY Oct 28 l 924 1 n' D12 968 H. F. woERNLl-:Y

'AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC coUPLER Filed NOV- 13, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 NVENTOR HARRY F WOERNLEY .BY 414/ ATTORNEY Patented 0st. 28, 1924.

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HARRY F. WOERNLEY, 0F WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVNIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE EVEST- INGHOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF WLMERDING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC COPLER. i

Application led November 13, 1920. Serial No. 423,964.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it lrnown that I, HARRY F.` VOERNLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at l/Villrinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Electric Couplers, of which the following is a specification.

rThis invention relates to couplings for connecting electric circuits between the cars of a train, and more particularly to a coupling having a movable member provided with al plurality of electric contacts connect* ed to the respective circuits, and adapted to be projected forward to engage the contacts of a counterpart coupling on an adjoining car. v

In my prior pending application, Serial No. 308,844, tiled July 5, 1919, there is disclosed an electric train line coupling iny which the movable contact carrier is actuated by a force derived from the coming together of counterpart couplings, which force is, however, stored up during apart ofthe approach movement, as by the compression of a spring. As the nal coupled position is reached, the' spring is tripped by the operation of a piston, supplied withl fluid under pressure as the couplers come together, so ,that the force of the spring then acts to project the contact carrier toits eX- tended coupled position.

The principal object of my present invention is to provide an improved means for releasing the force which projects'the contact carrier, in which the release is effected me chanically by the action of a tappet as the couplings are brought together.`

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following more detailed description of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings; Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view of` two couplings in the coupled position, with one coupling partly broken away, and embodying my in-V vention; Fig. 2 a vertical longitudinal section of the electric coupling; Fig. 3 a hori- Zontal section of the electric coupling in the uncoupled position; Fig. 4 a horizontal section of the coupling in the coupled position, showing the parts locked to prevent the vprojection of the contact carrier; Fig. 5 a vertical longitudinal section of the electric coupling applied to a car coupler, and show-v l and a lower portion 2y secured together by v bolts 8, the couplingV being under side of a car coupler 4.

Within the housing, as shown in Fig. 2, is a movable contact carrier 5, which is rigidly secured to an arm 6 having a collar 7 at the rear end which rests and is adapted to move longitudinally on a bearing surface 8 within the lower portion 2 ofthe housing. A sleeve 9 is mounted in the 'collar 7 and the train wires 10 pass through Athe sleeve and are connected to the contacts 11.

rIhe arm 6 is connected by a link 12 to a lever 18 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 14 secured to the upper portion l 'of the housing. @ne end of the lever 13 engages the rear portion of a casing 15 containing a coil spring 16 and pivotally mounted on the other-end of the lever` is a trip arm 17. rlhe forward end of the springy 16 engages a follower plate 18 having its outer end in engagement with a tappet 19 which roj'ects through the forward wall of the housapplied to j the ing member l.

AIn the normal uncoupled position, the outer end of the trip army 17 engagesfa stop member 20 and as shown rin l is yieldingly maintained in this position by a spring 21, acting on the arm through a cap 22 which engages the arm.

F ont-ripping the arm 17, a lever 23 is provided which is pivotally mounted on a pin 24 secured to the upper housing niember 1. 'Ihe lever 23 engages a tappet 25 which projects through the front wall of the housing and is provided with an arm 26 adapted to engage the trip arm 17.

The spring l16 may be under an initial tension, so that in the uncoupled position, the parts are held firmly in position, with the trip Varm 17 bearing against the stop 20.

In operation of the coupling, as so far described, when two couplings on adjacent cars are brought together, the tappet 19 will engage the housing face of thecounterpart coupling and as the tappet is forced rear-y wardly, the spring 16 is compressed, the lever 13 being held against movement by the engagement of the trip arm 17 with the stop 20.'

When the couplings have moved a certain distance, the tappet 25 is engaged by the housing face of the counterpart coupling l and the lever 23 is rotated on its pivot pin 24 so as to depress the arm 26 and thereby move the trip arm out of engagement with the stop 20.

The stored up torce of the spring 16 then acts to move the lever 13 on its pivot pin 14 and thereby cause the projection oi the coutact carrier 5, the carrier being operatively connected to the lever 13 through they link 12 and the arm 6.

In the coupled position, the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, with the electric contacts 11 of thecounterpart couplings in engagement for connecting the electric train wires together.

In order to eti'ectthe release movement of the parts when cars are separated, a release spring 27 is provided which is interposed between a member 28 pivoted to the housing and a member 29 pivoted to the lever 13.

l/Vhen the lever 13 moves to project the contact carrier in coupling, thespring 27 is compressed, so that in uncoupling, the torce of the spring 27 acts on the lever 13 to retract the parts so that they are moved back to the uncoupled position, as shown in Fig. 3, the trip arm 17 being moved back to its position engaging the stop by the action of the spring 21.

In order toprotect the exposed ends ot the contact terminal 11, from dirt, dust, and moisture, a shut-ter 30 is provided, as shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 5. Thekshutter 30 is provided with side arms 31 pivoted to the casing. y

Underneath and in vertical alinement with the spring casing 15 is an arm 32, pivotally connected to a slotted bar 33 mounted on the pivot pin 34 of the side arm 31. An adjusting screw or bolt 35 is screwed into the rear portion of the side arm 31 and engages the depending portion of the bar 33.

The arm 32 is adapted to be engaged by a lug 36 carried by the bottom plate 13.I n

Y When the tappet 19 is moved rearwardly in coupling, the corresponding movement ot' the follower plate 18 acts to shift the arm 32 longitudinally, so that the bar 33 is rocked and thereby the shutter 30 is swung downwardly to its open position, as shown in Fig. 5.

A spring 37 is mounted to operate on the shutter and normally holds the same closed and the screw 35 is for the purpose of adjusting the relative angular relation between the shutter 30 and the bar 33,*so that the shutter may be adjusted when necessary to maintain tight engagement at the point of closure.`

In some cases, it may not be desired to permit the contact carrier to be projected when cars are coupled up and in order to lock the parts in the retracted position, a pivotally mounted arm 38 may be provided which is adapted to be operated by a handle 39. The arm 38 is provided with a lug'40 which is adapted, when the handle 39 is thrown, to engage the end of the lever 13, as shown in F ig. 4, and thereby prevent the movement of said lever to project the contact carrier, when counterpart couplings are brought together.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an electric train wire coupling, the combination with a movable contact carrier, of elastic means adapted to be compressed by the coming togetherrof the couplings for projecting the carrier, means for restraining said elastic means, and a tappet projecting from the meeting face of the coupling and having a mechanical connection to said restraining means andoperated by the Yengagement with the meeting face of a counter part coupling for releasing said restraining means. y Y

2. In an electric train wire coupling, the combination with a movable contact carrier, of a spring for projecting said carrier, a tappety for Vcompressing said spring upon the coming together of the couplings, a stop device, a mechanism subject to the pressure of the spring and engaging the stop device for preventing the spring from acting, and a second tappetprojecting from the meeting lace of the couplingv and operated by the coming together of the couplings for tripping said mechanism from engagement with the stop device. Y

3. In an lelectric train wire coupling, the

combination with a movable contact carrier,

of a spring for projectng said carrier, a lever operatively connecting said spring with said carrier, a trip arm connected to said lever, a stop for said trip arm, and a tappet mechanically connected to said arm and projecting from the meeting face of the coupling and operated by the coming together Vo1 the couplings for releasing said arm from the stop.

4. In an electric train wire coupling, theL combination with a movable contact carrier, of a spring, a lever subject to the pressure of the spring for operating said carrier, a trip arm connected to said lever, a stop device for said arm, a tappet projecting from the meeting face of the coupling and a pivoted lever interposed between said tappet and the trip arm. y

5. In an electric train line coupling, the combination with a movable contact carrier, of a lever operatively connected to said carrier, means operative upon the coming together of counterpart couplings for operate ing said lever to project said carrier, and a latch device operable manually to engage said lever and thereby prevent the projection of the contact carrier upon the comingtogether of counterpart couplings.

6. In an electric train line coupling, the combination With a casing and a shutter pvotally mounted on said casing, of a pivoted lever, an adjustable screw having screwthreaded engagement With said shutter and adapted to engage said lever, and an operating memberzconnected to said lever for operaftng said lever and thereby said shutter through the engagement of the lever with said screw.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HARRY F. WOERNLEY. 

